“I think I was born to do this” – Natasha Paul puts her heart into a lifetime of teaching
Natasha Paul has spent nearly three decades as a teacher, seeing it as her mission in life to mould youths into self-sufficient adults in today’s world.
Miss Paul began her journey teaching for three years at Stella Maris Primary School before going to North Georgetown Secondary, where she has been teaching Agricultural Science.
Recently, she celebrated 29 years of unbroken service.
However, teaching is not what she saw as her lifelong pursuit.
“I wanted to study mechanics, in particular mechanical engineering. At the time, there weren’t many females venturing into that area.”
But she ended up pursuing Agriculture. Her inspiration to teach Agricultural Science was her own former Agricultural Science teacher Irving Adonis.
“I think I was born to do this. I think this is my passion. Everybody has a calling to do something, mine is teaching. Because whenever we close off for the holidays… yes, you wanna be on your holiday. But there’s just something coming down to the end when you know school is about to reopen where there’s this anxiousness, this anticipation that ‘oh, I wanna meet some new students.”
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She has witnessed her role as a teacher transform over almost three decades with the increased incorporation of technology in the classroom as well as the growing interest in Agriculture Science with the current regional focus shifting to the importance of food security.
“Everybody is now seeing the importance of growing your own food, having your own kitchen gardens. Recently the price of greens and most food items just went up and now you see the importance.”
Earlier this year, her school was even a beneficiary of a donation of seedlings and broiler chicks from Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha.
Her passion for teaching agricultural science is fuelled by the pride she feels when she sees how her work has impacted the lives of her students.
“When they see you out in the world of work, they will say to you, ‘Miss! You know, I got a lil farm, and I got 60 broilers, and I got pak choi or so many beds of pak choi’ and they’re making this work. And you also have some of them that will tell you they’re doing their regular nine to five, and then in the afternoons or on the weekends, they have a broiler business or egg business.”
The teacher prefers to work with younger students, giving them a solid foundation as they transition from the Primary to the Secondary level.
She considers her students to be like her children. Having started her own family during her career, Natasha had some thoughts to share on balancing teaching with motherhood.
“Sometimes it can be challenging. Having to be at school, be a mother, be all other things to our students here at North Georgetown and then go home and be that mother for your own children.
“At some point in time, it is a challenge […] in the end, you balance it out because you’re able to apply what you do with your own students with your children.”
She also has two children of her own, one of whom shares her passion for agriculture.
“My son, who is the eldest, he is engaged in farming at the Mocha farming lands.”
Miss Paul shared some advice for other persons considering going into the teaching profession.
“I’d say that you have to be sure you want to do it. It’s not for the money. Don’t think you’re gonna come and make a lot of money. I always say you have to have a heart. You have to have the heart for teaching. You have to have the love for teaching.”
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